SPANISH SLANG-PERU
Clearly, one of the most enjoying aspects of studying Spanish is learning
local slang or regionalisms. Peru is no exception and there are literally
thousands of words which could be described as slang or modismos. However, these
words take experience and caution as to when or not to use them. Vocabulary
among Peruvians often signals as to what social class an individual is from.
Just as in English words often identify your upbringing and education. And, as
always there is a time and place for certain vocabulary. We hope you enjoy these
words in your quest to better understand Spanish and Peruvians in particular. At
the bottom of the list are medical terms which for the most part transcend all
areas of Latin America. However, there are some particular expressions used in
Peru which we feel you may need or enjoy at some point. The words are listed
alphabetically with the most common mainstream Spanish equivalent Also, if you are
learning Spanish you may enjoy joining Spanish
Word of the Day.com , a free daily vocabulary builder.
- a
la tela: elegantemente
vestido - elegant dress or
formal wear
- achorado:
persona de carácter desafiante – an individual with a defiant character.
- al
polo: muy frío. Particularmente referido a las bebidas
- very cold (in particular to drinks)
- altiplano:
The high flatlands which surround Lake Titicaca.
- ambrosio:
hambre – hungry
- aprista:
A member of the Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana. Founded in 1924 by
Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre. (Center-left political organization)
- apu:
In Andean culture, a god of the mountains.
- arpa:
A harp
- arranchar:
arrebatar – to enrapture.
- arruga:
deuda – debt
- audiencia:
This is the colonial high court which was established in Lima during the
viceroyalty of Peru.
- auqui:
The heir to the Inca throne.
- ayllu:
A system whereby a group of related people and families exchange labor
during the Inca empire. (Still in practice to some degree today)
- bamba:
falsificado, imitación – a fake or imitation
- barriadas
– squatter settlement (Lima)
- blanquita:
cocaine - cocaine
- botánica:
botella - bottle
- cabro/cabrilla:
hombre afeminado – a male with feminine characteristics
- cachar:
tener relaciones sexuales. – to have sexual relations.
- cachuelo:
trabajo temporal, informal – a temporary job.
- cajón:
A box made of wood which uses a sound hole and is used in music of
Afro-Peruvian origins.
- calabacita:
cabeza vacía, persona vacua
- calato:
1) ) desnudo; 2) bebé –
nude, baby
- caldero:
malestar físico después de una borrachera
- campesino:
Peasant
- cáncer:
cigarrillo, tabaco – cigarette or tobacco product
- caña:
automóvil - automobile
- cañacero:
borracho que toma licor barato – A drunk who consumes inexpensive
liquor.
- carabina:
cara, rostro - face
- causa:
amigo (usado entre hombres) – the term for friend which is used
between men.
- cholo:
Referring to a person who is mestizo.
- coca
cola: loco - crazy
- cocho:
padre (madre: cocha) father/mother
- cofla:
flaco, delgado – thin/skinny
- coima:
comisión que se da para obtener algo en forma illegal - bribe.
- coimero:
quien da o recibe coima/ a person who receives a bribe
- corredgidor:
This was the crown envoy during colonial times who was the administrator of
Indian labor.
- cojudo:
palabra usada como insulto fuerte. – a strong insult.
- como
cancha: mucho, bastante –
a lot
- corvina:
corbata - tie
- costilla:
novia - girlfriend
- criollada:
estafa, engaño – deceit, fraud, trick.
- chaira:
cuchillo, puñal – knife, dagger
- chancay:
acto sexual – to have sex.
- chancar:
estudiar - study
- chancón:
persona que estudia mucho; estudiante – a studious person
- chancha:
colecta, cooperación – charity, cooperation.
- chancho:
1) eructo; 2) nalgas, trasero. – belch , rear end, butt.
-
chao :
adiós, hasta luego. – goodbye, see you later.
- chapar:
1)atrapar; 2) besar – to trap or overtake in a sexual manner, to kiss.
- chape:
beso en la boca – kiss on the mouth.
- characato:
persona oriunda de Arequipa – A person from Arequipa.
- charlie:
temerario, atrevido – reckless, hasty, bold, daring.
- chato:
persona de baja estatura – a short person.
- chaufa:
saludo de despedida – saying goodbye in a quick manner- when you have to
leave quickly.
- chepi:
pausa, descanso – to pause or take a break.
- chibolo:
niño - child
- chibolero:
persona que prefiere la compañía de personas más jóvenes –
someone who likes being around people who are much younger.
- chica
de su casa – a young woman who is considered by men to be of the
quality to form a long term relationship.
- chifa:
1) comida china; 2) restaurante chino – Chinese restaurant.
- chifar:
tener relaciones sexuales – To have sexual relations.
- chinear:
mirar, ver – to look or see.
- chingana:
bar o establecimiento sórdido y barato – a type of low class bar
or drinking establishment which is often dirty and cheap.
- choborra:
borracho - drunk.
- choche:
amigo - friend.
- chocho:
feliz - happy.
- cholo:
indio, especialmente el que habita en la costa – an Indian usually on the
coast.
- chonguear:
divertirse – to have a good time.
- chongo:
confusion, chaos , brothel
- chungo:
tacaño - tightwad.
- chupado:
tímido, cobarde – shy, coward
- chuparse:
arrepentirse, echarse atrás to repent or regret.
- churre:
niño de edad entre 4 y 7 años aproximadamente - a child between the age of
four and seven from the northern coast (Piura).
- churro:
hombre guapo – handsome man.
- chuzo:
cicatriz o corte en la piel – scar or cut on the skin.
- coya:
The primary wife of the Inca.
- criollo:
A person born in Peru of Spanish parents.
- dar
bola: hacer caso – to make a case or point.
- dar
sajiro: excitar, provocar to excite, incite or provoke excitement.
- de
la patada: fuerte, tremendo,
impactante (en sentido positivo) – To have a strong or tremendous impact
– usually in the positive.
- departamento:
The political and geographic divisons in Peru which are similar to
indivicual states in the United
- States.diquera:
mujer provocadora – a provocative woman with exhibitionist
qualities.
- duro:
tacaño - tightwad.
- enyucar:
engañar, timar, contraer alguna responsabilidad pesada, tarea engorrosa,
deuda. – to cheat or swindle, not responsible, to make a nuisance of or
debt.
- estar
en algo/algodón: estar bueno, a cumplir los mínimos requerimientos
para ser tomado por bueno, sin llegar a destacable o extraordinario. A
product or something that is ok – not great but ok. Also a person that is
ok or just meets the requirements.
- faite:
matón, buscavidas. Individuo que toma actitudes matonescas. A bully
or browbeater.
- fallo:
cigarrillo, tabaco – cigarette, tobacco.
- festejo:
Afro-Peruvian dance originating on the coast of Peru.
- fintero:
que aparenta algo que no es. – appearing to be something that is
not.
- florear:
adular, alabar – to praise or flatter.
- frío:
muerto – dead (literally cold).
- fumón:
que fuma marihuana – a person who smokes marijuana.
- funar:
mirar – to look at
- gringo:
rubio – blonde person.
- grone:
persona de color, Negro – a black person.
- guano:
Natural fertilizer derived from bird manure.
- hacer
gol: empreñar, poner
encinta a una mujer – to make a goal( referring to impregnating a woman).
- helena:
helado. Particularmente referido a las bebidas
- referring to a cold drink.
- huachafo:
persona de malos gustos, mal vestida – a person who has bad manners
or who dressed poorly.
- huachimán:
agente uniformado de seguridad particular, guardián (del inglés
"watchman") – a guard.
- huasca:
borrachera, borracho – a drunken state or drunk.
- huayno:
A dance between couples used during celebrations in the Andes.
- huevo:
fácil - easy.
- inti:
The Quechua term referring to the sun, which was the primary god of the
Inca. This was also the name of the currency during the 1980’s.
- jalar:
reprobar – to flunk.
- jarana
- party
- jatear:
(también tirar jato) dormir – to sleep
- jato:
casa - house.
- jeringa:
jerga - slang.
- jerma:
enamorada, novia – sweetheart, girlfriend.
- jetear:
besar - kiss.
- jugadora:
mujer promiscua – a promiscuous woman.
- ladrillo:
trabajador - worker.
- tirar
lata; later: caminar –
to walk.
- lechero:
suertudo, afortunado – a fortunate or lucky person -
from the work leche (milk).
- lenteja:
tonto - fool.
- limeño(a):
a Lima native.
- lisura:
grosería – grossness, rudeness, crudeness.
- lompas:
pantaloon – pants.
- lorear:
hablar – to speak.
- lorna:
tonto – fool (used for both feminine and masculine forms.
- luca:
moneda, equivalente a un Sol peruano – referring to the slang word
for money and is equivalent to one Peruvian Sol(national currency).
- luquear:
vigilar, cuidar – To watch over or take care of.
- machucafuerte:
marido, esposo - husband.
- maguey:
A type of wood used by indigenous groups for sculptures.
- maldito:
muy bueno, excelente – very good or excellent.
- mamey:
tonto – fool..
- mancar:
caer en desgracia, morir – to fall in disgrace or to die.
- mancha:
multitud, grupo de individuos – a group of people or small crowd.
- mandado
– a man who is a seducer.(from the verb mandar – command or order)
- manyar:
captar, entender – attract, win, understand.
- marciano:
persona anticonformista, que no sigue modas ni tendencies – literally
referring to a Martian and in this meaning a person who is not a conformist
or his has normal tendencies..
- mariachi:
marido, esposo - husband
- marinera:
A type of festive music from the coast of Peru.
- mataburro:
diccionario - dictionary.
- mataperro:
parachoques – literally referring to dog killer – is the bumper
on a vehicle.
- mestizaje:
The mixture of cultures in Peru.
- mestizo:
A person whose is born of parents from different ethnic orgins.
- meter
floro: Usar el mejor léxico para impresionar a alguien – using
correct language especially in a situation to impress someone.
- mica:
camisa - shirt
- micro:
microbus – a small bus for transport.
- misio:
sin dinero – broke, without money.
- mita:
Collective cooperation from the ayllu. When the Spanish ruled Peru,
it was a type of tax system in collections from Indians.
- mitra:
cabeza head
- mitrazo:
golpe con la cabeza – injury to the head.
- monse:
tonto, ingenuo – fool, naive.
- moquear:
llorar – to cry.
- mosca:
alerta, despierto – word for fly but, refers to being awake or
alert.
- mosaico:
mozo, camarero, mesero - waiter
- nancy:
nada - nothing.
- ni
michi: nada (eufemismo de "ni mierda") – nothing ,but is
derived from the word mierda (shit).
- ñoba:
baño – bathroom.
- ñorsa:
mujer, esposa – woman,wife.
- pacharaco
(a): persona de mal gusto
en vestir o en maquillarse – a person dressed poorly or who is poorly made
up.
- paja:
bueno, bonito, excelente – good, pretty, excellent.
- palangana:.
Fanfaron- a braggart or boaster.
- palta:
vergüenza – shame, embarrassment, timidity, bashfulness
- palteo:
equivocación - error, mistake.
- panudear:
presumir, pavonear (adj. panudo) – to presume, strut,
swagger.
- papear:
comer – to eat.
- pata:
amigo - friend.
- estar
parado: tener buena posición económica – Economically sound or
successful.
- parsero:
amigo íntimo – an intimate friend.
- pendejada
– refers to talking with a person or group (bullshitting)
- pendejo:
persona astuta, taimadoa, sobre todo con las mujeres, implica
libertinaje sexual o engaño conyugal. – an astute, sly cunning man and
one who has many sexual conquests.
- perra:
mal olor de pies – smelly feat.
- perromuertero
– estafador – swindler, cheat.
- pichanga:
partido de futbol amistoso, espontáneo, informal - labor hecha como
entretenimiento o, despectivamente, labor sin seriedad o provecho real -
tener una relación amorosa momentánea
– a pickup game of soccer – a labor of love or work for fun – a
short love relationship.
- piña
– bad luck or misfortune (literally pineapple).
- pituco:
persona adinerada, rico – a rich person.
- plomear:
disparar, tirotear – to throw out or get rid of.
- pollada:
fiesta popular de barrio donde el platillo principal es el pollo a la
parrilla – a chicken barbecue.
- ponja:
persona de origen oriental – a person of Asian descent.
- por
las puras alverjas,por las puras,por las puras huevas: sin motivo, sin lógica
- something happening without reason or logic.
- pulenta:
maravilloso, muy positivo, estimulante, agradable. – Refers to both
objects or situations and not individuals – marvelous, positive,
stimulating.
- punta:
cuchillo, navaja – knife.
- quedado
– a man who has not mastered the art of seduction – from the verb
quedar – to remain or stay behind.
- quena:
Andean flute.
- quina:
- fifty centimeters.
- quino:
fiesta de quince años de una senorita. – a girl’s fifteenth
birthday.
- quinsearse:
equivocarse, confundirse – a mistake or confusion.
- ranear:
espiar – to spy
- recursear:
robar, obtener algo, ya sea un objeto o un servicio, por maneras alternas o
irregulars – to rob or steal.
- recurso:
botín, producto de un robo – stolen booty or objects.
- roca:
1) automóvil, incoherencia evidente (también rocón, rocaza) – car,
incoherent or garble.
- roche:
vergüenza – shyness, embarrassment, timid, bashful.
- rondas:
defense groups made up of peasants.
- rubia:
cerveza – beer.
- sapo:
individuo listo, alerta – literally a frog but, refers to an alert or
intelligent person.
- soga:
corbata – tie.
- suzuki:
sucio - dirty.
- taba:
zapato, persona torpe, con falta de habilidad – shoe, a person who is slow
or without skills.
- taypá:
opíparo, abundante – great food or a lot of food.
- teclo:)
Viejo, padre (tecla - madre) – an old person, father or
mother.
- tela:
débil, frágil – week, feeble – derived from.terruco: terrorista
- terrorist.
- tira
detective
- tirar
cabeza: no devolver algo prestado – not to return something that was
lent.
- tirar
lente ver, mirar – to
look or see.
- tombería:
policía en general – police.
- tono:
fiesta - party
- toque:
momento, rato – moment or second.
- toyo:
dentón – a person with large teeth – derived from a name for a fish.
- trampa:
mujer promiscua – a promiscuous woman.
- tranca:
drunk, difficult
- trapecio
: trapo, tela para limpiar. – a rag or cloth for cleaning
- tuco:
terrorista. – terrorist.
- tugrio
– slum in Lima (not squatter towns)
- tutuma:
cabeza - head.
- vacilar:
gustar – to like
- verraco:
persona grosera, tosca – a gross or rude person.
- villegas:
billetes, dinero – paper money.
MEDICAL TERMS IN
SPANISH
Alergia - Allergy
Amigdalitis – Tonsillitis
Ardor de garganta –
sore throat
Arthritis - Arthritis
Asma - Asthma
Ataque al corazón - Hear Attack
Bronquitis - Bronchitis
Diarrea – Diarrhea – Also used is “estomago flojo”, meaning loose
stomach.
Difteria - Diphtheria.
Dolor
de cabeza - Headache
Dolor
de oido - ear ache
Conjuntivitis
– Conjunctivitis
Escosor
– Itch – Patients may say “me escuese” or “me pica”, when itching
Fiebre
– Fever (Lima and Coast) Calentura (Highlands)
Fiebre
amarilla - Yellow Fever
Fiebre
escarlatina - Scarlet Fever
Fiebre tifoidea - Typhoid
Gripe - Cold/Flu
Hepatitis
- Hepatitis
Manchas
rojas en la piel - Spots
Meningitis
- Meningitis
Mordedura
or picadura - Bite
Neumonia/pulmonia
- Pneumonia
Paludismo
- Malaria
Paperas/parotiditis
- Mumps
Polio/Polio
Rabia
- Rabies
Reumatismo
/ Rheumatism “LA REUMA”
Rubeola
/ German measles
Sarampión
– Measles
Sarpullido
- Rash
Tétanos-
Tetanus
Tos - cough
Tosferina - Whooping cough “TOS
CONVULSIVA”
Varicela - Chicken pox
Viruela – Smallpox
SOME
EXPRESSIONS DESCRIBING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
IN PERU
Me
aflije – It hurts An
expression for pain often used in the jungle area of Iquitos.
Escalofrios-
Chills SOME
PEOPLE MAY SAY “TEMBLADERA” IN PARTICULAR WHEN THEY HAVE MALARIA
El
dolor me aburre
Expression for a dull pain which is constant with the same intensity over
time.
ESTOY
CON LA BICICLETA - I am with the bicycle (I have diarrhea) (Only to be used in a
very informal setting – not with a physician).
ESTOY
COMO UN PATO I feel like a duck (I have diarrhea) (Only to be used in a very
informal setting- not with a physician)
ALLA
YAY!
EXCLAMATION IN QHECHUA, VERY COMMON WITH PEOPLE FROM ANDEAN ORIGINS,
MEANS “I AM IN A LOT OF PAIN” OR “IT HURTS A LOT”
ACHA
CHAY!
EXCLAMATION IN QHECHUA, VERY COMMON IN PEOPLE FROM ANDEAN ORIGIN, MEANS,
“YOU ARE MAKING ME FEEL A LOT OF PAIN” LIKE WHEN YOU TOUCH THE ABDOMEN OF A
PERSON WITH A COMPLICATED APPENDICITIS.
Be
sure to visit our Ecuador Slang Page
Compiled by Crowder Publications and copyrighted. No material may be
reproduced or distributed without prior written permission of Crowder
publications.